SusanWarmuthpurchasedTheWoodbineHotelinOctober1999withplanstoreturnTheWoodbinebacktoits glorydayswhenitwasthetown'ssocialcenterandhadthefinestrestaurantinthearea.Theyhopethat travelerswillagainremark,likeNormanKittreldidin1921:"ThereisnotahotelinTexastoday,barringnone, thateverservedsuchmealsaswereservedinthatinteriorhamlet(Madisonville)."Susanhasbeenrunningthehotel anddoingthecookingatnightsince1999.After20yearsinchargeoftheWoodbineHotelinMadisonville,Susan WarmuthandherhusbandWernerhaveannouncedthattheyhavesoldthehistoriclandmarktoShamshadZaidi,butdonotexpectthe establishment’s daily operations to change.“WhenIfirstcamehere,wewonderedhowthecommunitywouldacceptus,”saidWarmuth.“I cametotheunderstandingthatwhoeverownsthisplaceisacaretaker.Thisbeautifulbuilding belongstoMadisonville.IhavealwaysbeenproudofthefactthatIknowsomanypeoplehere. Thistownhastrulyembracedthishotelandthecaretakersofit.Ihaveanexpectationofthistown to wrap their arms around (Zaidi) like they have me.”SusanWarmuthandherhusbandWernerwillremainintheirMadisonvilleresidenceandeven assistZaidiinthetransitionoverthenextthreemonths.Forthetimebeing,Warmuthistakinga breakandopentowhatthefuturehasinstore.Sheexpressedadesiretovisitherhomein Germany as well as her father in Philadelphia.“(Zaidi)hasbeenhereforoneweeknow,”saidWarmuth.“Ihaveseenmyfairshareofnewemployees,sheisbyfarthequickest,swiftestand mosteagerpersonIhaveevermet.Sheisjumpingrightin,learningandabsorbingit.”ZaidiisacitizenoftheUnitedStates,shemovedherein 1988andhaslivedinTexaseversince.SheisoriginallyfromPakistanbutspenttwoyearsstudyinginJapanbeforemovingtotheU.S.Shecame toTexaswithherhusband,whostudiedintheTexasA&MGeophysicsdepartment.ShewasthenhiredbyA&MasaJapaneseLanguage professor,apositionsheheldfor16years.DuringhertimeasastudentinJapan,ZaidievenworkedasaJapanesetoEnglishinterpreterfor JapanesePrimeMinisterYasuhiroNakasone.ShewouldalsogoontoteachlanguageattheUniversityofTexasinAustinandSamHoustonState UniversityinHuntsville.Afterover20yearsineducation,Zaidiembarkedonwhatwouldprovetoultimatelybeasteppingstonetoher ownershipoftheWoodbinebyopeningabedandbreakfastofherowninCollegeStation,WillowRanchBedandBreakfast.“Itwasalotoffun forme,”saidZaidi.“Ilikemeetingpeopleverymuchandthatwasdefinitelymyfavoritepartofthebusiness.”Butafteracoupleofyearsinthe business,shewasthinkingbigger.ShestumbledacrosstheWoodbineonlineanddecidedtocheckitoutforherself.Upondiscoveringthe establishment’s place in history and getting acquainted with the Warmuths, she decided that she wanted to keep the legacy alive.“I always say that ‘old is gold,’” said Zaidi. “I love this old house and the tradition. I also feel that the food is the most important part.”ThemenuattheWoodbinewillremainasisforthetimebeing.Newownershipwillalsocontinuetoacceptthegiftcardsthatweredistributed byWarmuthaswellastheirexistingvalues.ZaidialsopurchasedtheparkinglotacrossthestreetfromtheWoodbine,everythinginsidethe hotel,theBrimberryHouse,whichistheoldeststructureinMadisonCounty,aswellastheCannonHouse,whichistwodoorsdownfromthe Woodbine.ShehasplanstoturnthefirstflooroftheCannonHouseintoanareaaccessibleforguestswithdisabilities,sincethereisnotan elevatorintheWoodbine.Shewillconsidermakingchangesandaddingnewfacilities,butnochangesmaybemadetotheWoodbinebuilding itself.“IwanteveryoneinMadisonvilleandsurroundingareastoknowthatIwillkeepthesamefoodandsameemployees,”saidZaidi.“Iwilldo mybesttokeepthishotelthesameormaybeevenbetter.”TheWoodbinewillalsoremainopentothetraditionalcelebrationsandpromotions theyhaveoffered,suchasthe12DaysofValentine’s.TheywillcontinuetotryandincorporateChristmaspartiesandwillcontinueto accommodateguestsandtheeventstheywishtohaveatthefacilities,includingweddings.Zaidiispassionateaboutmanythings,butcookingis oneofhermainloves.SheisincrediblyknowledgableonanumberofdiversedishesandplanstoholdafooddemoatthenextMushroom Festival.“Iamaveryfriendlypersonandahumbleperson,”saidZaidi.“Iliketomeetpeopleandlovepeople,sothatiswhyIbelievewewill makeit.”ZaidiispartofanAggiefamilyasher,herhusbandandthreechildrenarealleitherassociatedwiththeUniversityorwillbe.Heroldest daughterAnilaisagraduateofA&Mandcurrentlyworksinthedean’soffice.Herseconddaughter,Shumila,issettograduatefromthebiology department later this month. Her son Raza currently attends Blinn College but plans to transfer to A&M next year.